Unpopular Blade Steels That You Like?

[JD Spydo]

You should try it on the Byrd hawkbill. That knife rips. The serration depth, spacing, curve, and ease of sharpening. Most underrated Spyderco knife.

I've yet to own any of the Byrd knives because I just like Spyderco's top of the line stuff so much better. I do own some Byrd sharpening equipment but no knives. I've been tempted to get a Crossbill but my love for the Harpy, Tasman and Merlin just keep me from it. Not to mention the great Spyderhawk models. But I will try to get a used Crossbill in a trade at some point. I'm hoping a lot that the G-10 Harpy will return at some point. I do like the blade geometry on the Crossbill because it reminds me a lot of the design of the Superhawk.

I'm hoping that Spyderco will soon take their Hawkbills to a higher level.

I know how much you love your premium hawkbills and it deters you from the Byrd version. It's too bad Spyderco didn't make "that knife" in their premium line up. The ergos are perfect for pull cuts. I think it would have been quite popular amongst the hawkbills fans.

I think they are $23. I've seen lunches more expensive. You really should give it a shot.

I've got a couple of sharpening items I'm going to get this week from New Graham and for that price I might just go ahead and get one on that order. It's one Byrd knife I have had my eye on for some time. I wish they would also do a big Hawkbill with Byrd in the size range of the Spyderhawk>> that would be most interesting.

[vivi]

I've yet to own any of the Byrd knives because I just like Spyderco's top of the line stuff so much better. I do own some Byrd sharpening equipment but no knives. I've been tempted to get a Crossbill but my love for the Harpy, Tasman and Merlin just keep me from it. Not to mention the great Spyderhawk models. But I will try to get a used Crossbill in a trade at some point. I'm hoping a lot that the G-10 Harpy will return at some point. I do like the blade geometry on the Crossbill because it reminds me a lot of the design of the Superhawk.

I'm hoping that Spyderco will soon take their Hawkbills to a higher level.

I know how much you love your premium hawkbills and it deters you from the Byrd version. It's too bad Spyderco didn't make "that knife" in their premium line up. The ergos are perfect for pull cuts. I think it would have been quite popular amongst the hawkbills fans.

I think they are $23. I've seen lunches more expensive. You really should give it a shot.

I've got a couple of sharpening items I'm going to get this week from New Graham and for that price I might just go ahead and get one on that order. It's one Byrd knife I have had my eye on for some time. I wish they would also do a big Hawkbill with Byrd in the size range of the Spyderhawk>> that would be most interesting.

They're about the same size JD. The Byrd Crossbill and Flight are about the same size as an Endura.

[crazywednesday]

I've yet to own any of the Byrd knives because I just like Spyderco's top of the line stuff so much better. I do own some Byrd sharpening equipment but no knives. I've been tempted to get a Crossbill but my love for the Harpy, Tasman and Merlin just keep me from it. Not to mention the great Spyderhawk models. But I will try to get a used Crossbill in a trade at some point. I'm hoping a lot that the G-10 Harpy will return at some point. I do like the blade geometry on the Crossbill because it reminds me a lot of the design of the Superhawk.

I'm hoping that Spyderco will soon take their Hawkbills to a higher level.

I know how much you love your premium hawkbills and it deters you from the Byrd version. It's too bad Spyderco didn't make "that knife" in their premium line up. The ergos are perfect for pull cuts. I think it would have been quite popular amongst the hawkbills fans.

I think they are $23. I've seen lunches more expensive. You really should give it a shot.

I've got a couple of sharpening items I'm going to get this week from New Graham and for that price I might just go ahead and get one on that order. It's one Byrd knife I have had my eye on for some time. I wish they would also do a big Hawkbill with Byrd in the size range of the Spyderhawk>> that would be most interesting.

If you don't consider it's under valued after using and sharpening it, I will buy it from you. That's my warranty.

[JD Spydo]

What blade steel does the Crossbill have? Is it one of those Byrd models with 8Crmo or whatever that chinese made steel is? Well if it's serrated I guess its not that big of a deal. OK I'll try to get an order off the New Graham before this weekend. I have a couple of replacement stones I need to get anyway.
As cheap as it is it might make an ideal "beater".

[The Mastiff]

I have some A2 knives heat treated by the same guy who does the HT on LT Wright knives. You can borrow one if you'd like.

Appreciate the offer Vivi. I have several A2 knives including Bark River, Black Jack as well as Hogue and Mission. I couldn't say if the heat treat on any is similar but they are all pretty good quality. A2 is sort of like O1/1095/52100 but with a touch better wear resistance and toughness due to the alloying. It's lost some of it's popularity to 3V over the last 10 years but I still like it and what it is capable of.

Joe

[awa54]

Schrade+ is alleged to have been 440A and I liked that in USA made Old Timer and Schrade traditionals, actually a better steel than their HC was IMO. I've also had a few Chinese blades that were 9Cr... another 440A analog that had decent sharpening response and edge holding, the knives had issues, but the steel was quite good.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have a soft spot for SAKs and their gummy soft butter knife blades in some low grade stainless. I have a couple cheap knives in unnamed steels that I like. One is an F. Dick boning knife that has processed hundreds and hundreds of pounds of fish and game.

440A, 440B, surgical stainless and rostfrei are about the only things that turn me off. Low grade steels rarely get good heat treats so this class of steels is doomed to perform poorly.

[steelcity16]

Everything I like and use seems popular to an extent, except for maybe 3v.

Lol! Yep, 3V for me too! Extremely popular in the fixed blade world, but vilified for folders. A dealer told me that they have tried to ink exclusives for 3V folders and Spyderco has shut them down. I have no idea why they won't at least test the waters with a 3V sprint or exclusive in something like the Shaman. A 3V Micarta Shaman would probably be more sought after than the Cruwear Shaman with everyone from the fixed blade world who owns 3V Micarta Bark Rivers and LT Wrights flocking in to buy a 3V Micarta Shaman. The Shaman feels like a fixed blade with that vault like lock up, so what is really the difference between a 3V Shaman and 3V LT Wright?? What makes it a good steel for the LT and a poor choice for the Shaman? Nothing, that is what. Nonsense, fear, group-think, etc.

[JD Spydo]

I have a soft spot for SAKs and their gummy soft butter knife blades in some low grade stainless. I have a couple cheap knives in unnamed steels that I like. One is an F. Dick boning knife that has processed hundreds and hundreds of pounds of fish and game.

440A, 440B, surgical stainless and rostfrei are about the only things that turn me off. Low grade steels rarely get good heat treats so this class of steels is doomed to perform poorly.

Hold on!!!?? Now I own a few pieces of hardware made by F. Dick out of Germany and I happen to like their stuff pretty well. Especially their sharpening steels that I enjoy playing with. Now I don't know if F. Dick has a cheap line of knives but the two I have aren't all that bad. They may not be as good as some of the J.A. Henckel stuff I have but their not trash either.

Also when you refer to SAK>> which Swiss ARmy Knife line are you talking about? Because most of the Victorinox hardware I have I find it to be slightly above average and easy to maintain. I have had this one Victorinox boning knife for over 20 years and it holds an edge almost as good as Spyderco's MBS-26 does.

Or is that just another "Ford vs Chevy" debate :rolleyes: :D

[bearfacedkiller]

JD, I have never used a Victorinox kitchen knife. I was referring to the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife.

I love my F. Dick too. I just always assumed they used some sort of budget steel. The knife are only $20-$30. They are a lot like Dexter Russel knives and DR uses a proprietary steel similar to 420HC.

My point is that I like both and they come will simple steels but still perform well.

[James Y]

I like Victorinox’s stainles steel. Works well for me. At one period in my life, the only knife I carried with me every day for 10 years was a Victorinox Spartan SAK, and I did fine. Also, the only kitchen knives I use are Victorinox. The blade steel in their kitchen knives is the exact same as that used for their SAK knife blades. They hold an edge OK; I’ve never gotten a dull SAK brand new, and when needing a touch up, IMO they are the quickest and easiest to. Ring back to fill sharpness. It usually takes me only a few seconds on my Sharpmaker.

I still always carry 2 SAKs with me every day, along with whatever one-hand opener that is clipped to my pocket.

Jim

[JD Spydo]

JD, I have never used a Victorinox kitchen knife. I was referring to the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife.

I love my F. Dick too. I just always assumed they used some sort of budget steel. The knife are only $20-$30. They are a lot like Dexter Russel knives and DR uses a proprietary steel similar to 420HC.

My point is that I like both and they come will simple steels but still perform well.

Oh I think the F. Dick blades are much better than the Dexter Russell knives are. However a friend of mine recently gave me a smooth sharpening steel made by Dexter Russell and it's truly similar to the F. Dick smooth steels I own. Someone told me about 4 years ago that Dexter Russell did distribute Victorinox hardware here in the USA but I'm not 100% certain of that it's just a rumor I was told. But you see a lot of Dexter Russell stuff in fast food joints and school cafeterias, ect.

I think I know what you're talking about. You are probably referring to those dime store knock offs of SAKs you find at flea markets, convenience stores and so forth. Now I do think that Victorinox SAKs have better steel in them than the ones Wenger makes for sure. And Wenger isn't junk either because at one time they were making BUCK's SAKs>> and I'm sure that Chuck Buck ( who was CEO at that time) wouldn't have compromised for "Rip-Mart" garbage.

[vivi]

s30v :D

[yowzer]

Lol! Yep, 3V for me too! Extremely popular in the fixed blade world, but vilified for folders. A dealer told me that they have tried to ink exclusives for 3V folders and Spyderco has shut them down. I have no idea why they won't at least test the waters with a 3V sprint or exclusive in something like the Shaman.

The Tuff was 3V. Maybe they had bad experiences or trouble with working with it then?

[BLUETYPEII]

Done

[Bloke]

I really like the steel Heimo Roselli uses in knives. All I can glean is, it's Krupp W75 and there doesn't seem to be much information on it at all.

I have about half a dozen Roselli Knives and find W75 easy to sharpen, takes a killer edge, holds a true zero Scandi grind and performs exceptionally well on our local hardwood. :)

[JD Spydo]

I really like the steel Heimo Roselli uses in knives. All I can glean is, it's Krupp W75 and there doesn't seem to be much information on it at all.

I have about half a dozen Roselli Knives and find W75 easy to sharpen, takes a killer edge, holds a true zero Scandi grind and performs exceptionally well on our local hardwood. :)

Never heard of that steel before either :confused: Hey BLOKE where are those ROSELLI knives made at? I've seen them a couple of times at local Gun Shows here in KC, MO USA. But I don't know much about them>> or that steel you mentioned.

There is another question I've been meaning to ask you. The Australian knife company known as "Hardcore Hardware". I've seen some of their stuff at the last Gun Show here in town too. But I've never yet bought anything of theirs. I see that they use a lot of D-2 blade steel which I kind of like. Have you used any of their blades yet?

[JD Spydo]

I really like the steel Heimo Roselli uses in knives. All I can glean is, it's Krupp W75 and there doesn't seem to be much information on it at all.

I have about half a dozen Roselli Knives and find W75 easy to sharpen, takes a killer edge, holds a true zero Scandi grind and performs exceptionally well on our local hardwood. :)

[Bloke]

Never heard of that steel before either :confused: Hey BLOKE where are those ROSELLI knives made at? I've seen them a couple of times at local Gun Shows here in KC, MO USA. But I don't know much about them>> or that steel you mentioned.

Hey Joe, the Roselli’s are made in Finland and from what I understand Krupp W75 is a simple carbon steel. Mr Roselli’s heat treat is likely what makes it so good(?)

Roselli UHC (Ultra High Carbon) steel is fairly impressive also but I knocked a little Bear Claw (knife) off a side board in the kitchen and it chipped rather badly on the ceramic tiles. It took many hours to almost repair with diamond abrasives and I kind of gave up in the end. :rolleyes:

[BLUETYPEII]

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